Improvement in propellers



' R. FORWARD. Improvement in Propellers.

P.atntedJan.16,1872.

.Atte st fim. W, at

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROSS FORWARD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROPELLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,823, dated January16, 1872.

Specification of certain Improvements in Marine Propellers invented byRoss FOR- WARD, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio.

My invention relates to an improvement in the form and construction ofhinged paddles for propelling steam-vessels, whereby the machinery foroperating and reversing hinged paddles is so arranged as to be moreeasily and certainly operated and at the same time present lessimpediment to the vibration of the dependent levers to which the paddlesare attached, and also whereby the paddles are prevented fromoverturning in rough water and becoming non-effective.

Figure 1 is a perspective view embodying the principal parts of myimprovement and invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing theposition of paddle in its non-eifective stroke. Fig. 3 represents thesame with the stop raised for reversal. Fig. 4 shows the position ofstop and paddle-shank after reversal.

A A are arms suspended from a horizontal shaft or axis, B, so as intheir quiescent condition to hang vertically at the side or stern of theboat or vessel, and when in operation to vibrate in a short are aboutsaid vertical line as a bisecting radius. They may be impelled by anordinary pitman connection of the steam-piston with a wrist, O, thatprojects from an upward prolongation of the arm or from a crank, D,affixed to the shaft B. At tached by hinges or pivots, E, to the lowerextremities of the arms A A is a blade or paddle, F, having one or moreshanks, G, that engaging on one or the other side of stops H, thatproject from the arms, serve to hold the blade to a radial position inits backward or effective stroke while permitting it to assume atangential position in its forward or nonefiective stroke. The stops Hare attached to slides I, which occupy the lower portion of slots orguides to in the arms, but which, with their said projections H, can beelevated by means of pinions J that engage in racks i on said slides.The pinions J may be mounted on a shaft, K, that revolves in the armsAA. The essential elements of my improvement are the two sliding bars II, one in each, of two pendent levers, A A, to which the paddles F areattached, operating simultaneously by means of cogs i at the upper endand pinionwheels J, connected by a shaft, K, passing from one lever tothe other. These slides I move in a vertical groove, a, from near thecenter of motion of levers and above the pinion-wheel J to near thelower extremity of the levers at the point where it is desired to fixthe paddle-stops H H. At this point they pass entirely through aperforation in the levers, and form the projections H H, which are usedas stops for paddle shanks G G. When the paddle is in motion and it isdesired to reverse the eifective stroke, the pinion-shaft K is turned bythrough means of a cord or crank attache 1 it or by cogs upon same,thrown in gear with the machinery which propels the boat. This lifts theslides and stops H I above the projecting shanks G of the paddle F, andas they return they pass the stops, which being then allowed to fallback into position, the shanks are caught in the return vibration uponthe opposite side and the efi'ective motion is reversed.

The advantage of this construction is that the pinion-shaft, inconnection with the slides, allows the levers to be placed at furtherdistance from each other, thus making a longer paddle and strongerattachments of it to the pendent-levers, while the pinion-shaft andcog-wheels, being at upper extremity of the levers, are entirely removedfrom contact with the water. The slides being in grooves present noimpediment to the motion of pendent arms through the water except thatmade by the small stops or projections H H. By this arrangement thependent levers can also be made of requisite strength by increasing thebreadth, yet leaving them thin enough to present a narrow edge forresistance in the direction of their vibration in the water, the wholeof the parts being made of best steel or iron.

In order to prevent the overturning of the paddle by the violence ofwaves or other causes, the lower portion of each arm is provided withtwo spurs or guards, L L, against which the paddle impinges in its noneffective or horizontal position, they preventing the paddle from risingabove this position.

What I claim as my invention and improvement is- 1. The vibratingpendent arms AA termin- 2. In the described combination with vibratingarms A A and hinged paddles F, I claim the checks or guards L,projecting from the said arms, in the manner set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

ROSS FORWARD.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, JAMES H. LAY'MAN.

